Conti's Attack Against Costa Rica Sparks a New Ransomware Era

A pair of ransomware attacks crippled parts of the country—and rewrote the rules of cybercrime.

For the last two months, Costa Rica has been under siege. Two major ransomware attacks have crippled many of the country’s essential services, plunging the government into chaos as it scrambles to respond. Officials say that international trade ground to a halt as the ransomware took hold and more than 30,000 medical appointments have been rescheduled, while tax payments have also been disrupted. Millions have been lost due to the attacks, and staff at affected organizations have turned to pen and paper to get things done.


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